FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 17, 2005
Contact: Edmond McDavis III
(662) 241-7851

MUW female residence halls reach full occupancy

COLUMBUS, Miss. – Female residence halls on the campus of Mississippi University for Women are filled to capacity to begin the fall academic year.

Community Living Director Chris Holland said, “I am extremely pleased to know that we filled every room on campus. I think the air of excitement is such that living on campus can be "cool" and folks want to see what it's all about. However, it's crucial that we keep this momentum going and not let them down. Good customer service, creating more resources and quality programming is going to be the key.”

Holland gives credit to the “around the clock effort” of his staff.

“This staff is incredible. They are very helpful, positive people who care about students. They tirelessly work around the clock to make sure deadlines are met and to ensure that the goals we have set will happen.”

Retention of this level of female residency is now very important to Holland, along with achieving the same full occupancy in the two male residence halls on campus. 

“We will just do what we keep on doing--that is build and promote and take care of what we have. It's a simple philosophy really. Build on the ideas that will make the halls attractive; promote those ideas so students know about them and ultimately take care to cover the bases with what you have.

“What we need to do is show the guys that commute that living on campus is affordable and relevant to their success. Studies show that students who live on campus fare much better academically then those that don't. That's just a fact. What is also telling about these studies though, and something that many people don't pay attention to, is that people who live on campus tend to do better socially and are retained longer than their counterparts who live off.”

Holland is determined to fill the two male residence halls.

“We will get there. I guarantee it,” he said.